The Number, Planes & Ohio

Hello, everyone!
Well, if you're  my friend on Facebook, which you probably are, you might have seen that I have lost 30.2 lbs. to date!  This is a new record weight for me. Of course I've been lower than this before, but not for awhile.  When I saw this number on the scale, I was thrilled for more than the obvious reasons.  This was the weight after I had already eaten a Luna bar, grapes, Veggie Stix, and some water.  This was my weight at 2PM today.  This was my weight after a not so great week of following points.  And yet, it was still lower!  I'm so thankful that my new lifestyle is working now, and I realize that it's just that - a LIFESTYLE.  This is not a fad diet.  I'm not going to lose weight then go back to my old habits.  I have gotten off track countless times since the initial start in January, but each time I get off, I know that I will be back on track before I know it.

The new number?

244.8

In other news, I haven't done Richard at all this week (rather, last week).  Most days my excuse was I didn't want to get up early.  I don't think I'll ever be one to workout in the afternoon, so that wasn't much help, either.  I'm going to try to do it a few more times this week.  When I'm back in Ohio next week, I'm going to help get my mom moving, so we might do some Richard, but we'll also be taking short walks.  But, I am SUPER EXCITED to have been fully inspired by numerous years of Infomercials and finally Elizabeth Simmons.  :)  Once I get paid (because I'm bad at saving money), I will be purchasing Slim In 6, a Beachbody fitness program.  I'm also going to be trying Shakeology.  I don't expect this to be any quick fix radical change, and I also don't know how I'll feel about it. I might end up mixing Slim in 6 with Richard, but we'll see.  I'm hoping that with more of a variety and new workouts, I might be more up for exercising.  Plus, Simmons and I will have the same Beachbody coach, and she seems to be really supportive.  I'm going to join a challenge group (hopefully) in which our coach will be sure to support me each day.  Woot woot!

And planes....Bob left Wednesday night to go to D.C. for a trip.  Now he's in Utah for work.  He gets back in Seattle just a few hours after I leave Seattle for Ohio.  We'll then see each other for about 3 days before he flies back to Seattle again, then I'll follow him 3 days after that.  Crazy, huh?!  We didn't do a good job of planning all of this, but a lot of it was out of our control.  

The closer it gets to my Ohio trip, the more I'm actually starting to dread it.  I've lost 30 pounds.  THIRTY POUNDS!  I used to not even think 5 pounds was a lot until somebody told me to go hold up a 5 pound bag of flour at the grocery store.  Do I ever want that back on my body?  No.  

But do I look any different?  Not at all.  :(  I know it's a lot more difficult to see weight loss changes on people who are heavier, and I know the steroids might have an effect on how I look.  The fact remains that I pretty much look the same.  On top of the weight, my face has been having some weird problems.  I'm going to schedule a trip to the dermatologist for when I get back to Seattle.  I should have schedule one a long time ago, but I thought it would go away.  Here's a preview of my dry, irritated, flaking cheeks right after the shower (and no makeup).    

I always think it looks a bit better after the shower, so this is probably a good picture.  : /  This began on my face a few months ago.  I believe it was largely from stress at school.  

And...what in the world is going on with my hair?!  I remember in college a lot of people liked my hair.  Now, I can't do anything with it!  I got a cut a couple of weeks ago, and I don't know if it's the same or worse.  I hadn't been using any products except hairspray for my blow-dried, curling iron-ed hair.  I'm now using products, but I don't think I like them very much.  Good thing I've just given up on making it look good for work this summer.  However, I really wish I could make it look good for Ohio.  :/  I thought about getting it cut when I get home, but I don't know what I'll do to it.  We'll see.  I wish Desirae could still do my hair.  She new me, my lifestyle, what was realistic, what wasn't, what would look good or bad on me.  Oh, well.  I will continue my search to find someone new!

So please keep me in your thoughts and prayers.  I wonder when I do look good some day if I will actually feel like I look good.  I think I will.  I still remember when I thought I was pretty at times.  I hope I can feel that again someday soon, even if it's before any more major weight loss.  Wish me luck, and hopefully my next post will have a new, lower number!

Much love, 

Katie

Espanol

Well, I did day #2!  :)  I skipped working out yesterday.  I think I could have done it, but I wanted a plan for days to work out.  I didn't want to push myself and expect too much right away.  One of my friends noted on Facebook that if I plan to work out 3 days a week, there are probably days I'm going to miss, so I may as well plan for working out every day.  I think that is a valid point.  So, I'm going to attempt for every day now.  I think if I do so many days in a row, I'll probably give myself a break since I'm not fully in the swing of things yet.  I did Sweatin' to the Oldies 1 again today, but I have 2, 3 & 4 also, so I might rotate them.  I don't know if they vary on difficulty or not.  It's great to know that mom is working out to Richard again, and we can talk about it.  When I go home in August, we'll get to do them together!

One sad bit of news is that I forgot to weigh myself this morning!  : /  Sundays are my usual day, so I'm kind of bummed, but by the time I'd remembered, I'd had a big breakfast, drank water, gone to the bathroom and was in the middle of my workout.  Therefore - results not accurate.  Oh, well.  I'll hopefully remember tomorrow morning.

While I don't want to put too much on my plate, I'm thinking it's about time I bust out the Spanish lessons again!  With all of the meetings I have at school and interactions with parents, I've come across quite a few who speak Spanish.  It's definitely more common than it is in Ohio, but I know speaking Spanish would be helpful no matter what.  Bob and I got Rosetta Stone for Spanish about a year ago, and I've only started the beginning lessons.  I'm hoping I can work on them some more this summer.  Yes, I'm teaching ESY, but I don't have meetings and paperwork as much as during the school year.  Therefore, I'm hoping it's doable.  I usually get home around 4:30, so maybe I can do a lesson or two a night before Bob gets home.

OK...time to shower and head up to exchange some clothes at the mall...

Much love!

Richard Simmons

Oh. My. Goodness.  I just exercised.  It has been SO long.  I exercised 2 or 3 times after my surgery, and before that, I did Zumba about 3 times.  Other than that, I think it has been years!  At least months! I just don't even remember!  I bought Richard Simmons DVDs, because so many things have honestly been so hard!  I just did it all!  The whole thing, without stopping!  At some points I thought it was too easy, and at some points I thought it was too hard, but I. Didn't. Stop.

OK...That's all...

...I really hope I keep this up.

Much love

Social Anxiety

...That's what the psychiatrist officially said I have.  It's definitely kicking in today.  First day of my summer vacation that I'm spending alone.  No Bob, no Kyle, no Kelsey.  I thought it would be enjoyable.  By myself, I can't go out into the world.  I can't even open our apartment door.  Bob asked me to go pay rent, and I've been freaking out for about 4 hours now just thinking about having to go to the office.  Some days it gets so bad that I make myself physically sick and end up throwing up.  Now I've just been thinking about what else I'm going to do until I start teaching again in about a week, then I start to freak out about that.  How am i supposed to go to this meeting with all of these other teachers that I don't even know?  And then I'm supposed to teach kids I've never met before, work with other people I've never met?  Oh, goodness...I'm glad it's only 4 weeks.  But after that 4 weeks, what happens?  How am I supposed to face the world?  How am I supposed to do this forever? I have a feeling I should probably still be seeing a psychiatrist.  Problem with that?  I have to go out in public to see one!  ugh!  There is so much anxiety just from going to an appointment...Getting ready, leaving the apartment, actually driving my car, which can bring so many other problems into it, finding a place to park, possibly paying for parking, knowing where to check in, wondering how I look, wondering who is observing me...Typing these all out, it sounds so silly, but they all scare me so much...I just don't want to go anywhere.  At least I haven't gotten physically sick today.  I just can't wait for Bob to get home now...I hope it's soon.  I'm not going to post this one on Facebook, so I doubt anyone will ever see it, but that's ok.  I think sometimes you just need to get the feelings out there.  Wish me luck.